Anyone have a source for custom leather hand tool pouches/cases/sleeves? I’m looking to protect some chisels, planes and other small hand tools and thought leather would be a great option. Not sure if there are any precautions with materials, tanning process chemicals or other considerations with rawhide type material and metal tools.

Or maybe you’ve found a different material to use to protect your hand tools that you’d like to share.

Thank you for reading.

7 replies so far

For awhile I used plane socks but it got cumbersome so now a tad of camelia oil is all I use. I mounted my chisels on my bench on a strip. Keeps them handy. I routed dados into the strip to fit each chisel. I also drilled holes for my round rasps and my cabinet screwdrivers. I also have a canvas tool roll for my chisels in case I take them somewhere. The planes I stick in the plane socks if I’m mobile.

I think you would be safe with vegetable tanned leather. Older methods contained salts and corroded a lot of items left in them long term. I’m not sure about rawhide being a very good idea. May have salt residues.

-- Bob in WW ~ "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence

You may want to Do a search at yellowpages.com for leather goods, leather repair, or something like that, give them a call and see if they now of anyone that does leatherwork. Or may even look on the net for leather working forums. For chisels I’ve fund old knife sheethes at garage sales to fit most of my chisels.Planes are in a custom built half box with foam on the bottom.

If you have any Amish or old order Mennonite in your area they will have a harness shop. Most are able to make most anything out of leather. I’ve even had medical braces copied at a fraction of the cost of my deductible.

Where are you going to store them? I keep them in drawers underneath my lathe. (see pic) I used Marine leather on the bottom of my layout then put carpet padding covered with marine leather on the back to protect the edges.